Karnataka - Madikeri   

Madikeri CMC set to adopt e-governance

By Our Staff Correspondent

MADIKERI, FEB. 8. The Madikeri City Municipal Council (CMC) is poised to boost its revenue once the Nirmala Nagara computerisation programme is completed.

There are 6,400 properties from which the urban local body collected property tax. But, according to an estimate, the number of taxable properties in the city is set to cross the 10,000 mark.

A survey of 13 wards in the city has been completed by the engineering team, comprising engineers and bill collectors, according to V.L. Shadakshari Devaru, Senior Programmer of the Nirmala Nagara computerisation scheme.

Mr. Devaru told The Hindu that the survey work, which started in August last year, should have been over by now. The Department of Municipal Administration has asked the CMC to complete its survey of 10 wards by one month. Hilly terrains, rainfall, and shortage of engineering staff have hindered the survey work in Madikeri. In many cases, people did not cooperate with the survey team deliberately. Some others demanded the team members to show proof of their identity. But the DMA is of the opinion that since the programme has become popular, proof is not needed to convince the public. Once the survey is over, data entry work will be taken up, Mr. Devaru said. The block numbers in the city may change, but only for the sake of the programme. The ward numbers will remain the same.

Citizens Service Centre

Citizens Service Centre will be started soon as part of the Nirmala Nagara programme. The centre will have a public grievance cell that will function round-the-clock. The people can get khata extracts, file property tax returns, and get birth and death certificates at the centre, Mr. Devaru said.

Tenders were invited from NGOs to manage the cell recently, but no bids have been received.

The Department of Municipal Administration has now asked the CMC to depute one of its employees with knowledge of computers to handle the services.

There is a move to entrust the job to a member of women's self-help group. Under the new system people can lodge complaints through Internet and track the status of their complaints as well. Complaints can be sent by post. Complaints will be acknowledged.

A standard format is being prepared to register births and deaths under the programme. The Government of India's approval is awaited in this regard. A team from here is following up the matter with those concerned in the centre from Bangalore, Mr. Devaru said.

Complaints regarding garbage disposal, sanitation, drinking water and others will be looked into at the centre.

The system in the CMC will be networked with the department's server in Bangalore, which will track all complaints.

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Madikeri CMC set to adopt e-governance

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